What information should be included in a handover to the receiving facility?

• A. The patient’s favorite color.
• B. The last meal consumed.
• C. The weather and terrain of the pickup zone.
• D. Patient identity, injury pattern, vital signs, treatments given, medications administered, response to treatment, and time.

Answer: (D)

Getting the receiving team the right information to continue safe patient care is the main aim of a handover. The essential details include who the patient is, the injury pattern or clinical presentation, current vital signs and their trend, treatments already given and medications administered, the patient’s response to those treatments, and the exact time of each action and measurement. This combination lets the next team assess stability, see what has been done, anticipate needs, and plan the next steps with clear timing. The other options aren’t useful for ongoing medical management: a patient’s favorite color has no clinical value; the last meal is only relevant in specific procedures and not standard handover; and weather and terrain affect logistics rather than immediate patient care in the receiving facility.